By Uche Amunike.Members of a syndicate headed by international scammer, Ramon Abbas popularly known as Hushpuppi, have paid N279m to the younger brother of former Commander, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abba Kyari, police reports say.
Another N44m was said to have been pumped, through multiple transactions into the bank account of the same brother to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, Police reports also confirm.
The investigation report however did not disclose if Kyari’s brother was acting in place of his embattled elder brother who is currently being detained by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
Recall that Abba Kyari, Police Deputy Commissioner, faced suspension in July 2021 for allegedly having links to Hushpuppi. This time he allegedly made plans to sell part of the cocaine that was seized from drug dealers in Enugu, during his suspension.
According to the investigation reports submitted to the Attorney-General of the Federation, a total of 279 million was paid into Kyari’s younger brother’s account at different times from the members of the Cyber scam syndicate, Efe Martins (Head coordinator), Sikiru Adekoya, Usman Ibrahim and Hussaini Ala.
This same brother to Abba Kyari, police reports confirm, is a major beneficiary of funds from Hussaini Ala’s Zenith bank account from where he received various amounts of money totalling N218,120,000m at different times, including the N44m in different transactions from the embattled DCP Kyari.
He is presently in the custody of the NDLEA with four other officers believed to be his accomplices after he was indicted for drug dealings by the police. They are, Sunday Ubuah, John Nuhu, ASP Bawa James and Inspector Simon Agrigba. ASP John Umoru is however said to be on the run.
The Special Investigation Panel (SIP) that signed the report has however not invited or interrogated Kyari’s brother about the humongous amount of money paid into his bank account by the fraud syndicate and Kyari.
The Force Disciplinary Committee which reviewed the SIP investigation report, has however, in its recommendation, indicted Kyari for going against the social media policy of the Nigerian Police Force by reacting to the Federal Bureau of Intelligence’s indictment on his Facebook page without following laid down procedures.
They also accused Kyari of mingling with fraudulent characters and violating the professional ethics of the Police Force, which led to his demotion in rank from DCP to ACP, stating that the evidence of N8m bribe is circumstantial because the bribe was not paid into the officer’s account, nor any proceeds of it, traced by the panel, much less linking the officer to any such proceeds.
The Police Force has however intensified investigations into Abba Kyari’s involvement with criminal gangs and alleged involvement in money laundering as directed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
Malami, who stated in his legal advice to the police leadership that a prima facie case of money laundering has been established against Kyari, said that even though the facts and circumstances of the case suggest money laundering offences against Kyari and his accomplices, there is a need to dissect and trace all proceeds of crime received by DSP Abba Kyari directly or indirectly through the said accomplices.
The AGF on his part, gave orders to the police to trace the movement of money and withdrawal from the different accounts linked to Kyari and his accomplices as well as the use of the funds in purchasing properties and physical assets, so as to clearly expose the disguised nature of the suspected proceeds of crime.
The NDLEA Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi assured that investigation into Kyari’s connection to the drug gang was still ongoing he was still undergoing interrogation by detectives.
